A guide to Thatcham approved car trackers

With around 90,000 cars being stolen in the UK every year, (307 daily to be exact!) car theft is at an all-time high. Not only are the figures rising rapidly, but 60% of reported car thefts has unfortunately gone unsolved.

This issue, of course, needs an answer. And with Thatcham approved car trackers, there has never been a better solution. Let’s take a look at Thatcham approved car trackers and what they can provide to both your vehicle and your family.

What are Thatcham approved trackers?

Thatcham are an independent vehicle safety and security research company who have been the dominant force in their field since 1992. They have proved to be a catalyst in the reduction of car theft, proven by the fact crime fell by half a million per annum in merely a few years. The Thatcham accreditation system is used by insurance companies as a guide for lowering insurance premiums based on your Thatcham approved tracker. An understanding of its grading has become essential to those who seek lower costs and wish to reduce the risk of stolen cars with trackers and other high-end devices. Thatcham approved trackers are vehicle tracking devices that have successfully passed safety and effectiveness tests from Thatcham themselves.

Benefits of using Thatcham approved trackers

There is a multitude of reasons why using a Thatcham approved tracker is highly recommendable. Other trackers have their benefits, but none give you the guarantee that Thatcham approved trackers do. Here are a few reasons why Thatcham trackers work great:

• They have been rigorously tested, resulting in a complete, well-rounded product that has little room for margin of error.
• It is extremely likely that your vehicle will be recovered if stolen.
• They can be used all across the world, so perfect for the holiday-goers!
• Thatcham trackers are recommended by all leading car manufacturers.

Can you install your own Thatcham approved tracker?

Although the point of trackers is that you can fit them yourself, it is not advisory in the slightest to fit your own Thatcham approved car tracker. Unless your tracker is installed by a Thatcham recognised installer, it is likely that your vehicle will be protected efficiently by the tracker. If you decide to install the tracker yourself, malfunctions in the electrical systems could easily occur and cost you a lot of money to repair. Also, you are putting yourself at risk of getting hurt if you accidentally damage the wiring in your car. For your own safety, please make sure the person who installs your tracker is approved by Thatcham.

Let’s take a look at different categories of Thatcham approved trackers.

• Cat 1 – This tracker uses an electronic alarm and an immobiliser. The alarms have a perimeter, ignition and passenger movement detection. Also, the alarm has an audible warning and a spare battery. The immobilisers isolate at least two operating systems or circuits and are passively set.
• Cat 2 – This tracker uses an electronic immobiliser. The immobiliser requirements are the exact same as Cat 1.
• Cat 2-1 – This category uses an electronic arm upgrade. The alarm requirements remain the same as Cat 1.
• Cat 3 – A mechanic immobiliser is used here. The immobiliser must be easy to set and unset. It must also isolate (a minimum of) one operating system and should be either temporarily or permanently installed.
• Cat 4 – This tracker uses wheel locking devices. The devices have to be reliable and durable in order to resist the potential attack. Cat 4 trackers will also  have a secure key replacement procedure.
• Cat 5 – Stolen vehicle tracking and recovery is used here. These trackers should include a back-up battery, location data storage, driver id, motion alerts, street mapping, bi-directional communication, engine crank inhibition and also allow level one police response via a reliable monitoring centre.
• Cat 6 – This tracker uses stolen vehicle tracking. Bar a driver ID and engine crank inhibition, these trackers should include all elements that Cat 5 trackers possess.
• Cat 7 – This category of trackers alerts you of your vehicle’s location if stolen. Using radiofrequency locating technology, these trackers should include all attributes of Cat 6 trackers apart from motion alerts and street mapping.

As well as the above categories, there are also Q-Class Systems. These systems have never been ranked as they merely contain the basic security elements, such as alarm systems and improved locked doors. Many consider these vehicles as not fully protected and at a much higher risk of being stolen and sky-high insurance premiums.

Hopefully, the above information has assisted you in your knowledge of Thatcham approved trackers. It is important to note that modern car trackers combine the trusty technologies of vehicle trackers with immobilisers to entirely shut down the vehicle’s engine. Car tracking has never been so reliable and efficient. We hope you have no difficulty in finding the perfect tracker for you and your needs!